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1. Seychelles Why in the News? 1. Indian Navy ships INS Tir, INS Shardul and Coast Guard ship ICGS Sarathi (First Training Squadron) arrived at Port Victoria, Seychelles as part of a long-range training deployment in the South West Indian Ocean Region. 2. They were accorded a ceremonial welcome by Seychelles Defence Forces, reflecting strong India–Seychelles maritime cooperation. 3. This was the third port call by Indian Navy ships to Seychelles in 2025. About Seychelles 1. Political Features a. Archipelago Nation: Comprises 155 islands in the western Indian Ocean, situated to the northeast of Madagascar. b. Smallest in Africa: Holds the distinction of being the smallest African country in terms of both geographical area and population. c. Capital: Victoria (on Mahé Island). d. Political System: A unitary presidential republic, with the President serving as both Head of State and Head of Government. e. Membership: Part of the African Union (AU), Commonwealth, and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). 2. Geographical Features a. Mascarene Plateau: The islands are located on this submarine plateau, a shallow ridge in the Indian Ocean. b. Island Types: i. 42 granitic islands (oldest oceanic granite islands on Earth). ii. 113 coralline islands (smaller, low-lying, and reef-based). iii. Largest island – Mahé, which hosts the capital, Victoria. c. Island Groups (5 major divisions): i. Amirantes Group ii. Southern Coral Group iii. Alphonse Group iv. Farquhar Group v. Aldabra Group (home to the giant Aldabra tortoise; UNESCO World Heritage site). d. Terrain: i. Mahé Group: Volcanic origin, narrow coastal plains, and rugged hilly interiors. ii. Other islands: Predominantly flat coral atolls or raised reefs with limited freshwater availability. e. Climate: Tropical, influenced by monsoons; warm and humid year-round. 3. Strategic and Economic Importance a. Strategic Location: Situated in the Southwest Indian Ocean, astride vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) used for global trade and energy shipments. b. Large EEZ: Controls an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.3 million sq. km, rich in marine resources. c. Security Cooperation with India: i. Regular naval visits and joint exercises. ii. India assists in capacity building of Seychelles Defence Forces, coastal surveillance, and anti-piracy operations. iii. Both nations collaborate in monitoring the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) for maritime security. d. Economy: Dependent on tourism, fisheries, and growing interest in Blue Economy and offshore finance. 2. Singapore Why in the News? 1. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is on a three-day visit to India to mark the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 2. He will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurate Phase 2 of PSA Mumbai (Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal), and meet Indian business leaders. 3. The visit follows the third India–Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) (August 2025), which outlined cooperation in six areas: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitisation, healthcare, skill development, and sustainability. 4. This visit gained importance as the two nations upgraded ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in September 2024. 5. Singapore is a key economic and strategic partner for India in ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region. About Singapore 1. Political Features a. City-State: Singapore is a sovereign city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, comprising one main island and around 60 smaller islets. b. Maritime Boundaries: i. North: Separated from Malaysia by the Johor Strait. ii. South: Bordered by Indonesia across the Singapore Strait. 2. Geographical Features a. Lies about 137 km north of the Equator. b. Experiences an equatorial monsoon climate with consistently high temperatures and rainfall throughout the year. c. Hosts the largest port in Southeast Asia and one of the busiest ports globally. d. Its rapid growth is linked to its strategic location on the Strait of Malacca, a vital sea route connecting the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea. India-Singapore Relations 1. Historical Connect a. 1819: Sir Stamford Raffles established Singapore as a British trading station, governed initially from Kolkata. b. 1965: India was among the first countries to recognize Singapore’s independence. 2. Trade and Economic Cooperation a. Singapore is India’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and its 6th largest global trading partner (2023–24). b. Bilateral trade surged to USD 35.6 billion (2023–24), aided by the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). c. India remains a net importer in this relationship. d. 2016: Both countries signed the Direct Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to curb tax evasion. 3. Defence and Security Relations a. Defence cooperation extends India’s strategic maritime presence to the South China Sea and strengthens Singapore’s security role in the Indian Ocean. b. Joint Military Exercises: i. Army: Exercise Agni Warrior ii. Navy: SIMBEX iii. Air Force: Joint Military Training (JMT) 4. Fintech Cooperation a. Major achievements include the RuPay Card rollout and the UPI-PayNow linkage, boosting cross-border digital payments. 5. Multilateral Cooperation a. Both nations collaborate on platforms such as the East Asia Summit, Commonwealth, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association), and IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium). b. Singapore is a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Global Bio-fuel Alliance (GBA). c. Both support the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). 6. Indian Community in Singapore a. Resident Indians: Ethnic Indians make up about 9.1% of Singapore’s resident population. b. Indian Citizens Abroad: Among 1.6 million foreigners in Singapore, around 20% are Indian nationals. c. Language: Tamil is one of the four official languages of Singapore, reflecting deep cultural links. Places in News 3rd SEPTEMBER 2025

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